It's All Italian To Me

so i got an Italian phrase from my teacher. its says dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude, incipe which translates to He who has begun is half done: dare to know, dare to begin. to me, this phrase sounds like it says that you need to try. once you get started you will be close to the end. in the sense that if you started it and are focused on it  then you will accomplish it. one must try to suceed. and if you dare to begin then you dare to know. i actually like this phrase. even though my understanding of the words is probably far off the actual meaning.